


facilis descensus Averno

by Mossgreen



Series: 2770 ab urbe condita [55]
Category: 2770 ab urbe condita - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-05-01 17:35:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19182541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mossgreen/pseuds/Mossgreen
Summary: The morning after the night before... A simple request by Caesar Augustus is never so simple in the execution





	facilis descensus Averno

**Author's Note:**

> There's some non-graphic oral sex towards the beginning, but it's only a paragraph

The meeting yesterday had been one of the strangest events of Ven's life. The whole of yesterday afternoon and evening had been a cumulation of weird, in fact. His master, the known owner of Phallusy and the presenter of a sexual education channel on VosTubum, had been summoned to a meeting at the House of the Vestals, the virgin priestesses whose order dated back to even before Caesar Augustus, the very first emperor. She had invited Willow and Ven specifically, not quite by name, but certainly by rank as the master's senior slaves, and not even through their master but had directed an invitation to them, personally.

The meeting was attended by none other than Gaius Vitruvius Mellitus Augustus Caesar himself, the _Emperor_ and the single most important man in the entire world... who had not ignored Willow and Ven as any other single citizen in the Empire would have, consigning them to the level of the furniture (which, to be fair, they were!) but had requested – ordered! – Master to introduce them to him. By name.

For the first time ever in his life, Ven had seen his master kneeling. Admittedly, it was to pay his due respects to the Serene Emperor, but to see _Master_ go to his knees (well, knee; Ven was well educated on the etiquette of kneeling, after all) was not something Ven had ever imagined he would witness.

And then to learn that the Emperor was planning on selling his cousins into slavery, real, actual slavery, and that he wanted Master to buy Julius. Julianus? Something like that.

The trial would be held this morning, the sale this afternoon, or this evening. It would be little more than twenty-four hours from the household running as normal to having to deal with an angry, frightened, untrained member of the Imperial family who would want nothing to do with any of them – and they were expected to be able to train him to be a good and useful slave?

The Serene Gaius Augustus didn't bloody want much, did he!

Ven wondered just how bad his master's temper was going to be when they woke up tomorrow... and he was still likely to receive a punishment of his own for embarrassing Master in front of the Serene Emperor, not to mention one of the Vestal Virgins (and knowing Ven's luck, the chief Vestal, at that!). They had returned home too late for Master to punish him last night, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do so today. Ven wondered if there was anything he could do to lessen his master's anger with him... of course there was. If he was careful about it.

He wriggled carefully out of the bed to tend to his morning ablutions, wincing a little at the ache of his arse and the scattering of new purple bruises at his hips; Master had fucked him hard last night, despite the late hour they had returned home. It had, in all honesty, probably been more of a way for Master to vent his frustration than much of anything else; it certainly hadn't been personal. It was just the sort of hard fuck any slave could expect to receive at some point in their servitude. Just his master re-asserting his dominance – not that that had ever been in question, at least as far as Ven was concerned!

Impersonal or not, Ven had been a sweating, teary, snotty mess when Master finally finished, plugging his essence in Ven’s bum and wrapping his arms around his slave without saying another word about what had happened in the _Atrium Vestae_ , and the changes that were being thrust on the household. Ven had finally fallen asleep with an aching arse and Master’s arm draped over him and murmurs of "you’re my good boy, Ven," in his ears.

The dawn of a new day had helped him regain some of his equilibrium and the morning routine helped with the rest. When he returned to the bedroom, limping somewhat because it _had_ been a hard fuck, it was to find his master looking up at him from sleepy eyes. He scrambled back into the warmth of Master's big bed, snuggling into his shoulder as he was pulled close. He wondered for a moment if he’d imagined the fond look on Master’s face.

"Morning, pet," Master said.

"Good morning, Master," he replied, going still as the velvet hardness of his owner's morning erection poked his thigh. His master's tunic must have rucked up during the night; it happened sometimes. It never seemed to matter how hard he was fucked, or for how long, in the evening, his master’s prick was always ready to go again in the morning.

"If my master wishes, I can..." he suggested, looking up at his master's face through his eyelashes. (No, he hadn’t imagined that expression. How strange.)

"You can what, pet?"

Ven lowered his eyes, shifting his leg fractionally to rub against his master's morning erection as he ran the tip of his tongue suggestively over his lips. (Oh, the manipulative tricks you picked up when your master wanted you for a sex slave!)

Master laughed and adjusted his position, spreading his legs. "Go on, then."

What he’d told Valentine yesterday was perfectly true: his master _did_ see through Ven’s attempted manipulations of him, and merely allowed them to go on because they were in his favour. 

Ven wriggled down the bed, burrowing under the covers until he was rubbing his cheek against his master's prick. Sucking cock was still not a favourite activity, but it was preferred to a good many other things his master liked to do with him, and he really didn’t want to be fucked this morning, not after last night. Besides all that, he had to try, somehow, to make up for that stupid blunder yesterday – what secretary would prostrate as a pleasure slave, and in the _House of the Vestals_ , at that? He hoped his master hadn't been _very_ embarrassed by it – and the Emperor's own slave had done the same in return, perhaps as a cover for _his_ mistake.

The memory made him flush with humiliation at the recollection. He couldn't say whether Valentine's action had made it better, or worse. Both at once, probably.

And then there had been everything _else_ …

He resolutely put that out of his mind, and pressed a kiss to the head of his master's prick before taking it into his mouth, focussing on the task at hand. What was done was done, and whatever Master chose to do about it was out of Ven's hands. He would take the punishment Master gave him, he had no other choice.

It did not take long at all before his master groaned, thrusting into Ven's mouth and spending hard, filling Ven’s mouth with the thick salty evidence of his completion. Ven remained in the dark cave of the bedclothes, carefully licking up every drop before his hair was grasped and he was tugged back up the bed to find himself pulled closer to his master, his head level with his master's shoulder and his nose filled with the scent of dried sweat; his master would wash before dressing, and would bathe this afternoon - if today’s events allowed him the hour or so that even a visit to the house balnea would take, never mind the lengthier period required if he chose to visit one of the thermae elsewhere in the city.

"What business was planned today?" Master asked after a pause, the conversation a non sequitur after Ven's task of a moment ago, as though he hadn't just had his cock sucked until he’d come in Ven's mouth.

Ven was still swallowing, and had to think – the sudden change of subject had caught him by surprise. "Um. You had an appointment with Lucius Pinarius Frumentius. Something about his court case, I think, Master."

"Reschedule it for tomorrow, with my apologies."

"Yes, Master. And there's a meeting this afternoon with the development team about..." Ven paused to think. "An addition to the Lashiest range, I think it was, Master."

"Send my apologies and have them forward the minutes to me when they're available."

Ven nodded against his master's shoulder. "Yes, Master."

His master's hands slid down his back, cupping his bum and pulling him closer, pressing his harnessed cock against his master's soft prick.

"dulce et decōrum est prō patriae servīre," Master muttered darkly over Ven's head, causing him to risk looking up.

"It is sweet and noble to be a slave for one's native land?" Ven asked, and then parsed it properly. "Oh."

"To serve, pet. We are all of us slaves to duty." Master's hand squeezed Ven's rear, hinting at what he'd like to do, if they had time, regardless of the fact he'd just come in Ven’s mouth. "You are to assist me to shower and dress, then you may have your own shower – no. You will shower with me, assist me to dress, then dress yourself. We shall take iēntāculum in the atrium, I want to see the news this morning."

"Will you wish to attend the trial, Master?" Ven enquired.

"Yes."

Ven nodded against his master's crumpled sleep-tunic. That meant toga, then, rather than pallium, he thought. Although his master wasn't taking part in the trial, so perhaps it didn't matter – but there were going to be members of the Imperial family present. Toga. It was a formal trial, and who knew what was going to happen after it, whether the Emperor would require his master's presence for anything before the actual sale.

And of course this sale – auction. Even a private auction, with the outcome already arranged... Ven shivered a little. Private sales were one thing, but an auction – being bid on was one of Ven's private nightmares.

"I have been thinking, pet. I do not require every slave to wear a name-chain or a collar, but I shall likely require it of today's addition to the household. But I do not want him to wear the same as you, for you are a senior slave in this house." Master took hold of the chain around Ven's neck, tugging it and encouraging him to shift upwards in the bed until his eyes were level with his master’s mouth. "I am perfectly well aware that you do not like wearing this, but I have no wish to have to put a chain on you every time we travel on business."

He reached behind himself to the bedside table for the key, turning the chain around Ven’s neck until he found the slim padlock, which he unlocked before slipping the chain free. Ven said nothing, but watched him, puzzled.

"I bought this for you," Master said, again reaching behind him. It was another chain collar, this one a little lighter in weight, but still solid and unbreakable, the links powder-coated in glossy black. The lock was a heart-shaped link, from which hung a tag detailing Ven's registration number and his owner's name and address.

It was the sort of chain that could only be a slave collar, though a discreet one. Ven recognised it as being one of a range sold by Phallusy – they came in numerous colours and could be hung with a Medicollar tag instead of (or as well as) the usual identification style tag. The black was neat and unobtrusive, and would not clash with the dark wine-red of Ven's livery tunics as some of the brighter colours would, while still being visible.

"As my master pleases," Ven managed, his mouth dry, allowing his master to position his head so that he could drape the cool black links around his neck and click the lock shut. The chain was shorter than the previous one, the heart-shaped link hanging just below the hollow of his throat, which would leave the tag to slip out of sight just below the neck of his tunic. The links were too small to clip a leash to, unlike the links of the previous chain, though if Master ever wanted to leash him, it would clip very nicely to the heart-shaped locking link.

"You do know I wouldn't run away, Master?" Ven said, troubled by the implication, and more troubled by the quiet click as the lock closed. The chain would be impossible to remove without either the key or some very heavy-duty tools, wielded right at Ven’s neck.

"Yes. But who knows what may happen, and this way you can be returned home without people needing to hunt out a fingerprint scanner or tabula, even if you can't speak for some reason. Not that I expect anything of that sort to happen to you. Now, run along – you have things to attend to."

"Yes, Master," Ven replied, sobered by the explanation. He had no intention of getting lost, or stolen, or anything at all of a similar description.

Breakfast was over before Ven was really aware of the time. He wasn't even really aware of the news reports on the television; the rebuilding and rescue efforts were continuing in Constantinople after the recent earthquake there, there was speculation about today's trial (of course it was in the news; the group on trial included two people closely related to the Emperor). Ven was unsure whether to be amused or not that the report seemed mostly to be speculation and bemoaning the fact that the perpetrators were upper class citizens who were bound to get away with only a minor slap-on-the-wrist sort of sentence (the Emperor's determination to sell the guilty parties had obviously been kept firmly under wraps – the Emperor's determination that they _were_ guilty hadn't even leaked. Ven supposed that this was as close as they'd get to a fair trial). There were positive comments about the Emperor’s wielding of his imperium, his absolute power, in defence of the Empire against anarchy - Ven knew little about politics but knew enough to appreciate that Master might be a Republican but being the true Roman he was, he respected power used well. Ven thought his respect for the Emperor had increased after actually meeting him in person.

The reporter moved on to speaking about the newly released report into last year’s story of the dormouse farm that had been investigated for its mistreatment of the slaves working there. That story had only broken after someone let the dormice out and an escaped slave had notified SIPAS and the Vigiles - it was a story Ven had only been peripherally aware of because it was one of the ‘lighter’ news stories his master didn’t bother following. There was something about an investigation into the local branches of SIPAS being required , which Ven didn’t catch before Master turned the TV off, sending Ven to fetch his tabula.

There was a flurry of messages back and forth; Master had received a directive to ensure that a selection of Phallusy’s products would be available to buy after the auction (this evening? tomorrow evening? Probably this evening, from the urgency of last night’s meeting), which meant giving all the newly enslaved a proper fitting for restraints, so Ven was sent to fetch his own set, so he could be used to demonstrate what correctly fitted restraints looked like when worn, and someone from Phallusy would come with a tape measure and samples of the more heavy-duty long-term restraints that they sold. Wrist and ankle restraints could be tried on individuals; if any of the buyers wanted anything more intimate, it would have to be made to measure. Master had spent some of yesterday’s ride home phoning people to ensure that a decent selection of products would be available at the court on a sale or return basis.

What the Emperor wanted, the Emperor got, no matter how inconvenient it was for anyone else; Ven was perfectly aware that at least one Phallusy employee had been pulled out of bed last night, and there would doubtless be several mail orders dispatched late because staff would be pulled from their normal duties to see to this sudden job.

The house had been turned upside-down almost overnight, as well. Nobody expected the new slave to spend the first night (the first nights, plural, quite likely) anywhere other than in the cage, which was generally used for punishment or to hold slaves awaiting sale, and in those cases, the occupant was only given a sheet and a single rough woollen blanket. In this instance, though, the occupant would get the identical set of bedding - two sheets, blanket, bedspread, pillow and pillowcase - that the inhabitants of the dormitory had on their beds. It wasn't as though he would be able to do himself any damage in a cage he could not stand up straight in, after all. Junio also dug three tunics out for him, one of which was placed on a hanger hooked to the outside mesh of the cage, the others were placed, folded, into the drawer of the bedside table of the bed allocated to the new slave when he would be allowed to sleep in the dormitory. 

Master had provided several items that Ven recognised from his recordings for VosTubum, but these looked more business-like, somehow. The cuffs seemed indefinably different from those Master put on him, and it wasn't just a difference in colour. The inner band of Ven's was soft red leather – Master had a tendency to purchase toys in black and red, for some reason (Ven thought it a stunning and rather unusual combination, although with a distinct threatening look). These were black, far more heavy-duty because they were designed to be worn long-term, and the tongue of the buckle was shaped to allow the hasp of a padlock through, meaning that they could be locked and would come off only when the master (or his designated keyholder) permitted them to. 

Which made sense; Ven had the self-preservation instincts of someone who had been a slave for every day of his twenty-five years and knew that you did not remove cuffs your master had put on you until he said you could... More accurately, _you_ did not remove cuffs your master had placed on you; _he_ removed them when he was ready to do so. A new slave could not be expected to be so... intelligent.

Ven was sent for a clean tunic - he still kept ‘his’ things in the contubernium, rather than in his master’s room - and returned to the slaves' hallway to find all the household staff there, milling around - house slaves, kitchen slaves, Icarus with his gardening gloves shoved through his belt, Davus the handyman fiddling with something in his toolbelt...

Master himself came through the swing-door separating the slaves' quarters from the rest of the house, and the chaos came to an abrupt standstill as the door swung back-and-forth behind him in decreasing gyrations. The hubbub stopped as if someone had flicked a switch, Willow biting off the end of a word as everyone dropped to their knees, heads down. Master was followed by the two slaves who were on duty in the atrium today, and Petrus, who stood back against the wall with Icarus, both of them with their heads bent. (Nobody expected those two to kneel any more, not after that one particularly awkward episode with Icarus a couple of years back.)

"I have activated the security system. All exterior doors are locked and can only be unlocked by fingerprint, whether you are leaving or returning. Nobody will leave the house unless authorised. I want a cot placed out here, the new slave is not to be left alone for the next few days. I don't care who sleeps out here, but he is not to be left alone. Ven, fetch your satchel. Willow."

He returned to the atrium, leaving Ven and Willow to follow him.

"He may need to be gagged. I cannot think that he will be very well-behaved, or co-operative. You may leave the bedding folded, he will make his own bed. He will have to earn everything else, other than food. You will ensure he is given food when meals are served and that all plates and dishes are removed promptly, even if he has not eaten. You should consider feeding him slave-slop until he is ready to leave the cage and join the household in the dining-room at mealtime."

"Yes, Master."

"I will explain the house rules to him myself, but he will probably require them to be repeated several times. He will be let out of the cage under supervision only when his behaviour merits it. He may behave better than any of us expect and earn a full place in the household within a week, but I don't expect him to, somehow – this will all be a shock to him. But if I hear one word that anyone is deliberately provoking him, or goading him, that slave will regret it, is that clear?"

Willow shivered. "Perfectly clear, Master."

The citizen smiled narrowly. "A word of advice – _not_ an order. You may find it easiest to keep your strap with you during the boy's training, rather than having to go to fetch it every time you require it, especially once he is out of the cage regularly." He sighed. "Also, I am dropping the rule about kneeling. If I enter a room, I expect to instantly be the focus of every slave in it. If they are doing nothing, they are to stand neatly, eyes down. If anyone takes advantage of my leniency in any way, kneeling will be reinstated in that second. No other rule is changing."

"Yes, Master. Will you... Do you wish to inform the household yourself, Master? And... does that apply to the new slave too, or will you require him to kneel?"

"It will do him good to kneel, at least to begin with, though I doubt he will wish to, or be very coordinated. That can be improved on later."

Ven returned in the middle of the conversation, hanging back so as not to interfere.

"You will accompany me this morning; it will do the boy good to see you from the start, I think," Master continued, and Ven saw Willow take a breath.

"Master, I would like to respectfully request to remain here – there is a lot of preparation needed to receive a new slave, especially one so new to slavery, who isn't trained and who likely has no wish to be here. There will be very little need for me to be at the trial, and nobody will want to walk him through Rome; I am sure that his Imperial Majesty will arrange for the boy to be delivered privately and securely. Somebody should be here to receive him, and you will no doubt be busy elsewhere."

It was a good argument, with a good point, Ven conceded, but he had never heard anyone (with maybe the exception of Grumio) refuse an order. Master's eyebrow went up, a danger signal Ven had learned to heed, the hard way. He saw Willow swallow, but his fellow-slave did not bow his head, backtrack, and concur with his master's demands.

Incredibly, Ven watched as Master nodded – and backed down! Something Ven had never dreamed the master might _ever_ do, not for one of his slaves.

"Very well, you may remain here to prepare. Ven."

Ven stepped forward, eyes properly lowered. "Yes, Master?"

"Call a cycleshaw, for me and you, to the Vergilian Basilica."

"Yes, Master."

**Author's Note:**

>  _facilis descensus Averno_ (title) The descent to Avernus (Hell) is an easy one  
>  _iēntāculum_ \- breakfast  
>  _dulce et decōrum est prō patriae servīre_ \- it is sweet and noble to serve one's country. servīre can also mean 'to serve as a slave'  
>  _balnea_ \- private bath-house  
>  _thermae_ \- public bath-house (singular _therma_ )  
>  _pallium_ \- cloak or wrap worn by citizens, less formal than a toga. Often very colourful and frequently secured at the shoulder with a brooch  
>  _SIPAS_ \- Societās Imperātōrium Prohibēre Atrōcitae Servīs; the Imperial Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Slaves  
>  _Vigiles _\- the combined police/fire service__  
>  _tabula_ \- tablet computer  
>  _VosTubum_ \- YouTube  
>  _contubernium_ \- slaves' dormitory  
> Basilica – now generally understood to refer to a church building, the word originally referred to an important civic building of Ancient Rome which housed the law courts and fulfilled a similar role to a modern town or city hall. [Basilica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica)


End file.
